CLARKSDALE – The 2^nd-ranked Jones County Junior College Bobcats trailed Coahoma 12-6 entering the seven inning in Game 2 here Thursday afternoon at the Eddie C. Sports Complex.
But the Bobcats sent 13 batters to the plate, scored nine runs and won the game, 15-12.
JCJC is now 40-4 overall and 23-3 in the MACJC. Coahoma ends the season at 13-32-1 and 7-21.
The Bobcats end regular season play with a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Meridian on Monday. Meridian is second in the conference with a 17-7 record.
JCJC will host the No. 8 team in the MACJC – a team that has not been determined – on May 6-7 in a best-of-3 playoff series. If the Bobcats win that series, they will host the MACJC Tournament on May 12-14.
Jonathan Parker led off the top of the ninth with a single and was replaced by courtesy runner Josh Keel. Pinch-hitter Marcus Hardy followed with a single and Fred Franklin was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
After a pop out and a strikeout, Mason Irby stepped to the plate and ripped a 3-1 pitch into centerfield to score Keel and pinch-runner Dylan Dover and tie the game at 5-5.
Tanner Huddleston followed with a two-run double to give the Bobcats the lead.
Reliever Jay Simpson then struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the win.
JCJC had taken a 1-0 lead in the first when Shelton Wallace singled, stole second and third and scored on Irby's sacrifice fly.
The Bobcats went up 2-0 in the third when Clint Sasser drew a one-out walk, stole second and third and scored on a throwing error.
Coahoma scored three runs in the bottom of the third to take a 3-2 lead.
JCJC tied it in the sixth when Huddleston reached on an error, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on Parker's double.
But the Tigers regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth and a run in the bottom of the eighth.
Simpson, 2-0, went the final 1 1/3 innings, struck out all four batters he faced and earned the win.
Starter Mason Strickland pitched five innings, allowed three earned runs, five hits, walked four and struck out one. Reed Michel pitched an inning, allowed one run, one hit, walked three and struck out one. T.J. Hollis pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowed one run (unearned), two hits, walked one and struck out two.
Parker doubled twice and singled for the Bobcats, while Huddleston doubled. Wallace, Irby, Erick Hoard and Hardy added singles.
Kris Peet went eight-plus innings for the Tigers. He gave up five runs (three earned), six hits, walked four and struck out three. Jake Streater came in and pitched 2/3 of an inning and took the loss. He allowed two runs, two hits and struck out one. Preston Upshaw pitched 1/3 of an inning and got a strikeout.
Lowell Haley and Tyler Crouch had two singles each for Coahoma with Landon Fullilove, Hayden Tapper, Tanner White and Wesley Dew adding singles.
Bobcats 15, Tigers 12
JCJC sent 13 batters to the plate and scored nine runs in the seventh to win it.
Fred Franklin walked to lead off the inning and Shelton Wallace singled. Mason Irby followed with a single to score Franklin. Tanner Huddleston walked to load the bases and Erick Hoard walked to score Wallace and make it 12-8.
John Alan Wall followed with a two-run double and Jonathan Parker delivered an RBI single to make it 12-11. After a groundout, Marcus Hardy was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Franklin then cleared the bases with a triple to center and give Jones a 14-12 lead. Irby then doubled to score Franklin.
Reliever Brayden Hodge retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh to record his first save of the season.
Coahoma took a 2-0 lead in the second inning before the Bobcats came back with four runs in the third.
Jonathan Parker walked, Josh Keel reached on an error and Franklin reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Wallace followed with a two-run single and Irby delivered a sacrifice fly. Wallace would later score on a wild pitch.
Coahoma then had a nine-run, bottom of the third to take an 11-4 lead. The Tigers made it 12-4 in the fifth.
JCJC cut the lead to 12-6 in the sixth when Hoard reached on an error and Wall walked. Hoard would score on a passed ball and Chris Richardson's double scored Wall.
Franklin tripled, singled and had three RBIs, while Irby doubled, singled and drove in three runs. Wallace had two singles with Richardson and Wall adding doubles. Parker had a single.
Anthony Williams, 2-0, pitched three innings in relief and got the win. He gave up one run, six hits and did not walk a batter.
Starter Calder Mikell went two innings, allowed five runs (all earned), two hits, walked five and struck out two. Tristan Labove pitched 1/3 of an inning, allowed five runs (all earned) and four hits. Tyler Spring pitched 2/3 of an inning and gave up a hit, walked one and struck out two.
Tanner White doubled twice and singled, while Wesley Dew had three singles for Coahoma. Lowell Haley doubled and singled with Landon Fullilove, Hayden Tapper, Adam Cook, Braxton Wall and Tyler Crouch adding singles.
Jake Streater started, went 4 1/3 innings, allowed four runs (one earned), two hits, walked four and struck out four. Preston Upshaw went 1 2/3 innings, allowed four runs (two earned), two hits, walked two and struck out one. Garrett Short pitched to two batters and did not retire one. He allowed two runs, one hit, one walk and took the loss. Latalo Newson pitched to three batters and did not retire one. He gave three runs, two hits and walked one. Jacob Feduccia pitched one inning, allowed two runs, two hits and walked one.